RUTHERFORD, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — November 17, 2010 —
Intelligent Light is enabling computational fluid dynamics on the cloud,
announcing an agreement to make FieldView™, its market-leading CFD
post-processing software, available on the cloud computing capability
offered by R Systems, a leader in HPC resources on demand.

Providing immediate access to flexible computing capacity, the
arrangement gives FieldView users the ability to scale up using parallel
processing or scale out with concurrent batch processing to meet
capacity needs during peak loads, special projects, or tight deadlines.
FieldView’s client-server architecture enables data to remain on the
cloud while interactive work is performed from the user’s desktop. In
addition, any CFD users who compute on the R Systems cloud can access
FieldView for post-processing.

“Everyone is talking about cloud computing, but very few people are
talking about successfully using it for CFD simulation,” says Steve
Legensky, founder and general manager of Intelligent Light. “Our
arrangement with R Systems securely and efficiently addresses the
challenges that large, complicated datasets can pose on the cloud. Our
intention is to enable engineers and researchers to use FieldView-based
post-processing as an integral part of the infrastructure of a
cloud-based CFD workflow.”

“R Systems’ high performance computational resources combined with
Intelligent Light’s FieldView post-processing software provides clients
an innovative tool suite for maximum productivity. We see FieldView as
an key enabler for CFD users wishing to leverage cloud-based resources,”
states Brian Kucic, R Systems’ business principal. “R Systems is pleased
to partner with leading independent software vendors (ISVs) such as
Intelligent Light to help increase widespread adoption of HPC resources.”

Testing the process

In order to test the viability of CFD post-processing on the cloud,
Intelligent Light launched a pilot study, selecting R Systems as the
cloud provider. The study, a wind turbine aerodynamics problem with more
than 40 cases, encompassed both steady cases for power generation and
unsteady cases for wake propagation. The resulting 1.4 terabytes of data
were post-processed by FieldView on the cloud in both parallel and
concurrent batch modes using FieldView client-server operation. The data
remained on the cloud machine in all cases and was remotely accessed
from a laptop. With 77,000 core hours of computation, the results proved
that cloud-enabled CFD is not only possible, but valuable in terms of
time and cost savings.

Accurate ‘pay as you go’ answers

Legensky believes reliable remote post-processing is a critical
component of CFD in the cloud. “Post-processing is the critical time
when decisions get made,” he says. “It’s really the most important time
in engineering – raw data has become something actionable, something you
can learn from. One of FieldView’s greatest strengths is its ability to
quickly get users from data to decisions.”

“With relatively inexpensive HPC cloud resources and the flexibility and
capabilities of FieldView, users can get the exact answers they need on
a ‘pay as you go’ basis,” he continues. “We’re removing the barriers of
cost, infrastructure and specialization, and leveling the CFD playing
field for all users.”

Automation, batch keys to efficiency

The advent of HPC may mean that ever larger datasets can be run, but
without a highly efficient, automated post-processing workflow, “you’re
exposing yourself to a data tsunami,” Legensky says. “You can compute
really big solutions in client-server or local modes, but if you have to
read the whole file every time, or have too much data to handle, you’re
losing valuable time. Automation and data management are key.”

FieldView’s feature set allows users to easily bridge the gap from
interactive to fully automated and reliable batch post-processing.
Earlier this year Intelligent Light introduced FieldView Batch Packs,
which enable the use of multiple instances of FieldView on an HPC server
for concurrent processing at a fraction of the cost of standard
FieldView licenses. Concurrent batch processing reduces turnaround time
and enables high throughput for transient simulations, both key to
streamlining the CFD workflow. Batch operation will be supported on the
R Systems cloud service.

Reaping the benefits

The power of a highly efficient CFD workflow is readily apparent in
Formula 1 at Red Bull Racing, where more than 80% of the team’s
aerodynamic design is driven through CFD and FieldView. With thousands
of cores running concurrently, the team’s results files are massive.
While in general post-processing can take twice the time of a single
solver run, nearly 90% of Red Bull Racing’s post-processing tasks are
automated via batch processing. Every morning, engineers receive
automatically generated FieldView PDF reports with animations, allowing
them to focus on results, not the process itself. A detailed
case
study is available at
www.ilight.com.

Technology, Teamwork, Trust: About Intelligent Light

For more than 25 years, Intelligent Light has been solving the toughest
engineering challenges faced by manufacturing and research organizations
around the world. The company’s flagship FieldView™ family of products
combines true ease-of-use with the industry’s most sophisticated CFD
post-processing and large-data visualization capabilities. Intelligent
Light’s Applied Research Group conducts pure research on the cutting
edge of CFD while customizing and delivering real-world solutions to
customers in industries such as aerospace, automotive, general
manufacturing and turbomachinery. Intelligent Light drives CFD
simulation for increased productivity, faster answers, deeper insight
and maximum return on investment. Visit
www.ilight.com
for more information.

Fast, Flexible, Freedom: About R Systems

R Systems provides technical expertise and optimized HPC cluster
resources to the commercial and academic research communities. R
Systems’ objectives focus on providing fast and flexible HPC
implementation, leaving users with the freedom to manage their core
objectives. Supported by expert technical staff, users avoid tedious
systems management, making every project a value-added experience. R
Systems’ agnostic approach to OS, hardware, and software ensures that a
custom solution will match user requirements and expectations. This
results in productive throughput while saving time and reducing cost.
Visit
www.rsystemsinc.com
for more information.